Hair cleaning device



May 24, 1932. R, pms 1,859,714

HAIR CLEANING DEViGE Filed April 18. 1950 FR. RHPIDfi 1. 5 i INVENTOR 9' BY ATTORN EY5 Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES FELIX R. RAPIDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS HAIR CLEANING DEVICE Application filed April 18,

My invention relates to improvements in hair cleaning devices, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

5 An object of my invention is to provlde a hair cleaning device in which certam improvements are embodied over the structure embodied in my pending application, Serlal No. 381,775, filed July 29, 1929. One of the 1; main features in the present invention is the provision of teeth having openings therein, both being aligned in parallelism w1th the longitudinal axis of the body port on, whereby sharp corners have been eliminated and 1. thereby increasing the eificiency of the devlce.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described in which the teeth and the openings are so formed that long hair and to the like may be drawn through the teeth, thereby eliminating the danger of the long hair and the like from interfering with the efficient operation of the device.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described in which a plurality of teeth having openings is provided and arranged in communication with a hollow body portion. adapted, to be connected w1th a mechanism for forcing air through the deco vice, and in which the bases of the teeth are formed for negativing the formation of any vacuum at these points.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described which while primarily dei signed for removing dandrufi from the scalp is equally adapted for removing loose hair, and in which the construction is such that the device may also be used as a drying apparatus.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described which is easy to handle, and durable and efiicient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel 1930. Serial No. 445,419.

features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention, I

Figure 2 is an end view of the teeth,

Figure 3 is a plan view of one side of the invention, having a portion removed,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device, 7

Figure 5 is a view showing the manner in which the teeth may be formed, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of a tooth embodying a slightly different construction.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a hollow body portion 1 having a tubular element 2 and a flattened portion 3. The flattened portion 3 is preferably rectangular in cross section. The body portion may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet metal, or the body portion may be cast in one piece. In the present instance I have shown the device as being formed from sheet metal. The tubular element 2 is arranged for connection with a tubular member 4 which in turn is connected with any suitable vacuum device, not shown. Ordinarily the device is used in connection with a vacuum mechanism, but under certain conditions it may be desirable to connect the device with a blower, as when drying hair.

In referring to Figure 2 it will be noted 80 that the flattened portion 3 comprises back and front portions 5 and 6. The terms back and front are not intended as a limitation, but are used merely for convenience in describing the construction and operation of my device. The front portion is shorter than the back portion, whereby the end of the rectangular portion is angular as indi cated at 7.

A plurality of hollow teeth 8 is connected with the body portion 1. The front edges of the teeth are open as at 9. The front edges are also arranged in alignment with the portion 6, while the back edges 29 are angularly formed with respect to the front edges of the teeth as well as the longitudinal axis of the body portion. The ends of the teeth may be mounted as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

In Figure 5 I have shown a. blank prior to its formation into a tooth. The blank may be folded along the line 10 for positioning the side portions in spaced-apart parallel relation. The line 10 then, of course, forms the back of the tooth, while the edges 11 form the front of the tooth.

The edge 12 of the blank forms the base of the tooth. It will be noted in referring to Figure 3 that the sides '10 are bent near the edge 12 as indicated at 13, whereby the bent portions may be secured together by welding, soldering, or other suitable means. It will further be noted that the connecting edges of the teeth are tapered and terminate in a point as indicated at 14. This construction tends to prevent a vacuum near the base of the teeth as when air is drawn therethrough.

The side teeth 15 may be joined in any suitable air-tight manner to the sides 16 of the body portion. The bases of the teeth may also be welded, soldered or-otherwise joined to the portions 5 and 6, whereby the teeth are rigidly secured thereto, and provide communication with the interior of the body portion through the medium of the openings 9. The side portion 6 may be provided with a bead 17 which tends to deflect particles of dandruff, hair, and the like into the teeth.

In operation the teeth are passed through the hair. The body portion in being c011- nected with a vacuum mechanism will, of course, draw air through the openings 9. The teeth are formed whereby the device may be easily passed through the hair. The teeth are constructed and arranged in such relation with respect to one another that the hair is parted and arranged in thin strands, whereby the strands will be thoroughly cleaned by reason of the suction in the device. The points of the teeth tend to loosen any dandruff adhering to the scalp. The loosened dandruff together with the loose hair, dust, and the like will be removed from the scalp and the hair.

An important feature in connection with my invention is the fact that the teeth and particularly the openings therein are arranged in parallelism and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the hollow body portion. The air currents by reason of this construction are direct ones. Further than this, I have entirely eliminated all sharp corners,

thereby eliminating the possibility of hair and the like from becoming blocked in the body portion. The openings 9 are considerably longer than the backs of the teeth. This construction facilitates the effective removal of long hair. The teeth may be moved through the hair in either direction.

In Figure 6 I have shown a slightly different form of tooth. In this form the longitudinally elongated opening 9 is formed in the side of the tooth rather than in one of its edges. The opening may, of course, be formed at any place in the side of the tooth. IVhile I have shown teeth having straight back and front edges, it will be understood of course that other shapes may be provided. The edges may be convexed or concaved under certain conditions, as well as constructed at different angles, which is intended to be within the scope of the invention. After the teeth havebeen secured to the body portion, the latter may be finished and polished by any one of the well known processes.

It will be noted in referring to Figure 1 that the outside teeth 15 appear flush with the side 16. This appearance is due to the fact that the sides of the body portion may be finished at the juncture of the teeth with the body portion for simulating a continuous surface. This feature enhances the appearance of the device rather than serving as an important utilitarian function.

I claim:

1. A pneumatic hair cleaning device comprising a hollow body portion having a plurality of narrow flat hollow teeth communicating therewith and provided with narrow elongated air inlet openings, said openings being so arranged as to be adapted to be placed substantially parallel and opposite the scalp, said hair cleaning device being adapted to be connected to the hose of an air suction device in a manner whereby the hair of the head may be drawn into said hollow body portion and subjected to an air suction.

2. A pneumatic hair cleaning device comprising an elongated hollow body portion having a plurality of narrow flat hollow teeth for communicating with the interior of the body portion, said teeth being provided with front and rear edges, said front edge being provided with elongated air inlet openings in a manner whereby said openings may be placed opposite and adjacent the scalp, said hair cleaning device being adapted to be connected to the hoseof an air suction device in a manner whereby the hair of the head may be drawn into said hollow body portion and subjected to an air suction.

3. A pneumatic hair cleaning device comprising a hollow body portion having a plurality of fiat hollow teeth for communicating with the interior of the body portion, said teeth being provided with front and rear edges, said front edges being open substantially three-fourths of their entire length in a manner whereby said openings may be placed opposite and adjacent the scalp, said hair cleaning device being adapted to be connected to the hose of an air suction device in a manner whereby the hair of the head may be drawn into said hollow body portion and subjected to an air suction.

at. A pneumatic hair cleanin device con1- prising an elongated hollow ody portion having a plurality of flat hollow teeth for communicating with the interior of the body portion, said teeth being provided with front and rear edges, said front edges being open substantially three-fourths of their entire length and being inclined with respect to the rear edges, each of said teeth having flat side walls, all of the side walls of said teeth being substantially parallel with each other, said open front edges of said teeth being adapted to be placed in contact with the scalp.

5. A pneumatic hair cleaning device comprising an elongated hollow body portion having a plurality of fiat hollow teeth, said teeth having elongated air inlet openings at one end for communicating with the interior of the body portion, each of said teeth being provided with substantially flat side wall portions, said side wall portions of each of said teeth being substantially parallel to each other and being bent at their rear edges substantially as shown, said hair cleaning device being adapted to be connected to the hose of an air suction device in a manner whereby the hair of the head may be drawn into said hollow body portion and subjected to an air suction.

6. A pneumatic hair cleaning device of the character described, said device comprising an elongated hollow body portion and a plurality of narrow flat hollow teeth communieating with the interior of said body portion, said body portion having a rounded tubular rear section adapted to be connected to a pneumatic hose, an offset rectangular hollow front section, and a downwardly inclined connecting hollow mid-section, each of said teeth being provided with an open operating edge, each of said edges being substantially parallel to each other, said edges being adapted to be placed opposite and adjacent the scalp and to receive strands of hair, said hair cleaning device being adapted to be connected by said hose to an air suction device in a manner whereby the hair of the head may be drawn into said hollow body portion and subjected to an air scrubbing.

7. A pneumatic hair cleaning device comprising a hollow body portion having substantially triangular hollow teeth communicating with the interior of the body portion, each of said teeth having parallel side Walls and a longitudinal opening provided at one edge of said side walls in a manner adapted to permit the hair to be drawn within the interior of said teeth and said body portion.

8. A pneumatic hair cleaning device com- FELIX R. RAPIDS. 

